Toews: Fitting that Sid scored game-winner

Toews: Fitting that Sid scored game-winner Jonathan Toews was saying Saturday that he didn't care if people noticed him at all during the tournament, that all he wanted was a gold medal wrapped around his neck.

VANCOUVER -- Jonathan Toews was saying Saturday that he didn't care if people noticed him at all during the tournament, that all he wanted was a gold medal wrapped around his neck by the end of Sunday's game against Team USA.

Toews got his wish, fulfilling a dream that dates back to when he watched Canada win gold in Salt Lake eight years ago. However, in the process he became one of top forwards to wear the Canadian sweater and according to the media's vote he was a member of the All-Star team and the top forward to play in this tournament.

Toews, dripping with sweat and some tears, talked with NHL.com directly after coming off the ice after Canada's celebration following its 3-2 overtime win on Sunday. Here's what he had to say:

NHL.com: You told us yesterday that you don't care if you've opened some eyes in this tournament, but you were voted onto the Media All-Star Team as one of the top three forwards. Does that matter to you?

Toews: That's cool and all, but it just means so little compared to winning a gold medal as a team. That was our No. 1 goal, that is what every guy fought so hard for. You got guys like Marc-Andre Fleury and Patrice Bergeron that didn't get as many chances as they normally would but they took it for the team. It feels so good right now. That's cool and all, but it doesn't mean as much, that's for sure.
NHL.com: Have you ever had a feeling like you had when Sid scored?

Toews: It was hard because your heart sinks when you see that goal go in against you with 24 seconds left. You think of tiny little things you could have done differently in that last moment to just try and last a little longer. It's pretty scary when at that point it's anybody's game in OT, but we had to believe in ourselves all the way. It couldn't be more fitting that a guy like Sid gets that winning goal.

NHL.com: How does it feel to score a goal in a gold medal game?

Toews: Oh, it's good. I was waiting for that one and I kept telling myself that it was going to come at a good time and it was really going to help us. It was good to get us going today.

NHL.com: Do you believe that you are wearing that gold medal around your neck right now?

Toews: Absolutely. It's unbelievable. It's really hard to grasp how big it really is. You are in this one building and you can't even understand how many people watched this and how it affects people. I remember in '02 when I was a kid, I was 12 or 13 years old, and those memories stray with me until now. I told Jarome (Iginla) on the ice right after, 'It's just like you, Joe and Stevie in '02,' and he started laughing. It's a dream come true, that's for sure.